Methods and apparatus to provide extended voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to provide extended voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services are disclosed. An example residential gateway comprises a radio frequency (RF) detector to detect a presence of a cellular communication device, a service controller to enable a VoIP communication device when the cellular communication device is present, wherein the VoIP communication device and the cellular communication device are different devices.

1. A residential gateway comprising:
 a radio frequency detector to detect a presence of a cellular communication device; and 
 a service controller to, in response to the radio frequency detector detecting the presence of the cellular communication device, register an unregistered voice over Internet protocol communication device to a telephone number of the cellular communication device by enabling voice over Internet protocol services to the voice over Internet protocol communication device, the voice over Internet protocol communication device being unregistered to the voice over Internet protocol services when the radio frequency detector detects the presence of the cellular communication device, wherein the voice over Internet protocol communication device and the cellular communication device are physically separate devices. 
 
     
     
       2. A residential gateway as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency detector detects the presence of the cellular communication device by detecting at least one of a radio frequency signal from a radio frequency identification device associated with the cellular communication device or a radio frequency signal from a radio frequency transceiver implemented by the cellular communication device. 
     
     
       3. A residential gateway as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an interface to communicatively couple the residential gateway to an Internet-based network. 
     
     
       4. A residential gateway as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a media server to combine signals associated with the voice over Internet protocol communication device and the cellular communication device. 
     
     
       5. A residential gateway as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency interface to communicatively couple the residential gateway to the cellular communication device. 
     
     
       6. A method comprising:
 detecting a presence of a cellular communication device in a voice over Internet protocol service area; and 
 in response to detecting the presence of the cellular communication device, registering an unregistered voice over Internet protocol communication device to a voice over Internet protocol service with a telephone number assigned to the cellular communication device, the voice over Internet protocol communication device being unregistered to the voice over Internet protocol services when the radio frequency detector detects the presence of the cellular communication device, wherein the voice over Internet protocol communication device and the cellular communication device are physically separate devices. 
 
     
     
       7. A method as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising disabling a cellular service to the cellular communication device if the cellular communication device is detected in the voice over Internet protocol service area. 
     
     
       8. A method as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising reporting the presence of the cellular communication device in the voice over Internet protocol service area to a communications network. 
     
     
       9. A method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein registering the voice over Internet protocol communication device comprises performing a session initiated protocol registration. 
     
     
       10. A method as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 detecting an absence of the cellular communication device in the voice over Internet protocol service area; and 
 de-registering the voice over Internet protocol communication device from the voice over Internet protocol service when the cellular communication device is absent from the voice over Internet protocol service area. 
 
     
     
       11. A method as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising reporting the absence of the cellular communication device to a communications network. 
     
     
       12. A method as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising enabling a cellular service to the cellular communication device when the cellular communication device is absent from the voice over Internet protocol service area. 
     
     
       13. A method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein detecting the presence of the cellular communication device comprises detecting a radio frequency signal from the cellular communication device. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus, comprising:
 a memory storing machine readable instructions; and 
 a processor to execute the instructions to:
 detect a presence of a cellular communication device in a voice over Internet protocol service area; and 
 register an unregistered voice over Internet protocol communication device to a voice over Internet protocol service with a telephone number assigned to the cellular communication device by enabling voice over Internet protocol services to the voice over Internet protocol communication device in response to detecting the cellular communication device, the voice over Internet protocol communication device being unregistered to the voice over Internet protocol services when the radio frequency detector detects the presence of the cellular communication device, wherein the voice over Internet protocol communication device and the cellular communication device are physically separate devices. 
 
 
     
     
       15. An apparatus as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the processor is to execute the instructions to disable a cellular service to the cellular communication device when the cellular communication device is detected in the voice over Internet protocol service area. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the processor is to execute the instructions to register the voice over Internet protocol communication device to the voice over Internet protocol service by performing a session initiated protocol registration. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the processor is to execute the instructions to:
 detect an absence of the cellular communication device in the voice over Internet protocol service area; and 
 de-register the voice over Internet protocol communication device from the voice over Internet protocol service when the cellular communication device is absent from the voice over Internet protocol service area. 
 
     
     
       18. An apparatus as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the processor is to execute the instructions to enable a cellular service to the cellular communication device when the cellular communication device is absent from the voice over Internet protocol service area. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the processor is to execute the instructions to detect the presence of the cellular communication device by detecting a radio frequency signal from the cellular communication device.